Anyone been or planning a trip to Mexico lately?
What are the COVID rules for entering Mexico and for returning to Canada?
Do vaccinated people need negative antigen test?
Do children under 12 need a negative test?
Anyone been or planning a trip to Mexico lately?
What are the COVID rules for entering Mexico and for returning to Canada?
Do vaccinated people need negative antigen test?
Do children under 12 need a negative test?
My Karma ran over your Dogma
We are going to Cabo in November so I looked this up today.
Antigen is for US only.
You need a PCR or RT-LAMP to board a flight to Canada even if you are fully vaccinated.
Many all-inclusive resorts have this onsite and it ranges from 100 to 200USD per person.
https://www.westjet.com/assets/wj-we...nformation.pdf
There are no COVID entry rules to Mexico.
Seems like some hotels are providing free stay extensions if you end up testing positive. Nice to know in case you can’t board a plane back to Canada. I’d probably bring my work laptop in case I need to WFH (assuming you don’t get too sick).
How's Acapulco doing since the military literally stormed the building and took over their police force a few years ago? Probably chill?
Vacations with gang murders and non-potable water are my favourite asset class of vacations.
"Hey, at least we're not Honduras... Yet!"
- Mexico
Rules are changing again, Oct 30 youll need 1 does and a negative test to board a plane in canada. Nov 30, you need to be fully vaccinated.
People without any vaccine cannot fly after Oct 30.
https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/tr...ictions/flying
Coming home, same as usual, need a negative test to board plane. Can be done at hotel, approx 125-150USD/ea
I would highly recommend visiting Mexico right now.
Don’t need a test to come in, just fill out a Covid questionnaire upon arrival. Departure you need a test to go back home and most resorts offer testing when you leave or you can find them outside of resort for a bit cheaper ($30usd Vs $120-150). They seem to take masking and other Covid procedures more seriously than I’ve seen in Canada.
Booked the family to go to PV in March... cant wait!
I figure rules will change at least 5 times before we go, so not really paying much attention right now.
Did you have to wear a mask everywhere? Seems pretty lame having to wear a mask outside in 30+ heat, a lot of all inclusive resorts Im looking at require them in public areas.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
In Oaxaca city everyone wore masks in the street so we did too.
Resort in playa del Carmen they just wanted you to wear them when interacting with staff and when you were in the buffets. Had to have mask on to order drinks at bar, unless you are in the pool bar.. town in playa del Carmen nobody really wore masks at all.
We got stranded in Mexico last year. We went for a month and ended up staying for 5. I mean - not a bad place to be stranded. We are heading back next week to Playa del Carmen.
What you should know is that the state operates on a light system (red, yellow, green, orange). Depending on the colour the state is in, depends on the covid rules. When covid hit early last year, all businesses were required to continue to pay their staff their normal wage for 3 months while everything was shut down. A ton of businesses went under and a ton of people lost their jobs. When everything partly opened up last November, the Mexican residents took covid seriously. Disinfecting mats at the entrance to every business, temp checks at every business, mask on unless you were seated at a table, one person per family at the grocery store. When the state went to red, the feds came in and enforced curfew etc.
For a month, we went to Merida where they took it even more seriously with curfew unless you had a flight and proof of flight.
They seem to be on a great trajectory right now with zero new cases yesterday (in QR).
To leave Canada after Nov 30, you have to be double vaccinated and more than 14 days from your last. You do not require an antigen or PCR to go to Mexico. You will have to fill in your immigration forms ahead of time and print them out. You also have to fill in a covid questionnaire no more than 12 hours before your flight and keep the QR code it gives you until after you are through immigration.
When you leave, you have to do the PCR/RT-Lamp to come back. This is anywhere from $100US to $190US. They will need your passport and date/time of travel. Make sure you have WhatsApp downloaded because that is generally how they send the PDF results. Coming home, you will also want to download your airline's app and ArriveCan.
No idea about the under 12 - but the government of Canada site is pretty thorough for requirements.
This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
The site is horrible. I was able to eventually track down the info by just typing in a direct question on google.
PCR test is required for re-entry for anyone 5 years or older. So it sounds like my 1 year old is exempt fortunately when we go in February.
https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/tr...ng-into-canada
After Nov 30 PCR test no longer required for entry on trips under 72 hrs.
PCR test still required on longer trips.
Anyone tried these test kits, know here to buy them retail?
https://switchhealth.ca/en/partners/...collectionKits
Aeroplan members cost is $79 CAD, that's best price yet, AFAIK.
Anyone return from Playa del Carmen or Puerto Aventuras area leately, how much do tests cost there?
My Karma ran over your Dogma
I was in playa del Carmen 2 weeks ago and a PCR test was $90 at the resort.
In town they were between $60-80usd.
$90 USD? = $115 CAD.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
or $75-100 CAD.
Thanks for the current info. I'd heard non-specific sources saying $150 USD pp. Pricey for a family of 5.
Your prices are WAY better!
My Karma ran over your Dogma
Quick word of warning to all travelers: be careful with free PCR tests, i just got bit in the ass in LA as the free results never arrived and was left with only a $200USD option at LAX.
That $79 kit IS NOT the one that works for entry to Canada.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
The LAAMP kit at the bottom of the page is the one you need, and it’s sold out.
Originally posted by Thales of Miletus
If you think I have been trying to present myself as intellectually superior, then you truly are a dimwit.
Originally posted by Toma
fact.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Just got back from Mexico. Here are my thoughts:
- they seem to take COVID more seriously than we do here in Calgary
- businesses have temperature checks at entrance and mask requirements, and they are strict about you going through that. Once inside however I think that if you take it off it's on you, but they keep their staff masked up. Their requirement is to ensure you are masked up when you get in and have no fever. Hand sanitizers available everywhere. People are respectful and cognizant of virus' gravity and your personal space which made it feel very safe.
- hotels also check your temperature, so did my AirBnBs
- the Switch Health kit in my opinion is overrated. What if you break it? What if it does not arrive in time (it is sold out anyway.) $90USD had someone come to my place and do the test in Puerto Vallarta with results in 2.5 hours.
- airline checking had Air Canada check passport, boarding pass, hand luggage, PCR test results, Mexico authority form filled out, ArriveCAN form filled out, vaccination records (they check what kind of vaccine you took,) and one or two more things: be prepared to have all your ducks in a row to make the process seamless, it can feel daunting.
- Covid Records website and some Alberta health/government websites were inaccessible from Mexico, so be sure to get your records in expanded form screenshot on your phone. And have enough juice on your phone.
- Calgary airport experience was abhorrent on arrival with long lineups and staff working/acting like they've never worked there before. Specifically ushers and immigration staff. NEXUS line was closed yet I got in and directed me to use regular machine. I then asked usher and he said "someone was supposed to be at the NEXUS line entrance to show you in." What good is NEXUS when it can't be used with Heathrow-like lineups up the hallway? He had me fast track still but sent me to domestic connection line. At domestic connection, you need to have your incoming and next flight boarding passes on you (!) and almost every person in front of me had thrown out their incoming and would be let through without special assistance. When immigration asked me for my boarding passes, I just said "I'm home already, I am not connecting" and he got out of his chair, ushered me through to another side ...
TBH given how costly it can be to travel to USA (USD, must have car rental etc.) and polarized views on virus, Mexico is going to be very attractive for a time to come and to kick back (that's what a vacation is supposed to be.) I can't imagine taking family to Disney or something like that for a long while.
The PCR test is Canada's approach to make travel harder (makes you rethink based on cost) but there are free and less costly ways to get the results.
Finally, be sure to check the details on insurance you may already have (employer, credit card) or the one you buy extra. The insurance is generally for emergency situations, not to extend your stay and cover your accommodations because you turned positive. If someone sees insurance that has this coverage please share (Air Canada was offering it last year for up to 14 days but no more.)
I will answer any questions you may have.
Be sure to check on this because it didn't seem like this was the case. Also have a backup plan. If you're in an AirBnB and get sick, but that place is unavailable, then what? What if all accoms check for your temperature and you are not allowed in after you test positive? This is the risk in terms of accommodations. Perhaps you hope you get ill enough to be hospitalized?This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Not outside. But you do when you go into establishments and common areas. Ultimately you also want to be respectful to the rules and people that work there.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Mexico City had more people wearing masks in streets than not. It is state specific it seems but not a must.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
That's why you get multiple free PCR tests. Or get the free PCR and have a backup plan like the one you did at LAX. Your worst case scenario in this case was $200 at LAX and I hope it was part of your plan. Always have a plan B or C.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Yah this. In Denver I had a morning NAAT test booked at Walgreens, and an afternoon PCR test at a state testing facility, and an airport test booked as well as last resort. Walgreens came through and I had my results within an hour, at which points I canceled all my other bookings.That's why you get multiple free PCR tests. Or get the free PCR and have a backup plan like the one you did at LAX. Your worst case scenario in this case was $200 at LAX and I hope it was part of your plan. Always have a plan B or C.
Going to Mexico soon myself! Woot!
NAAT is acceptable for entry to Canada?
Originally posted by Thales of Miletus
If you think I have been trying to present myself as intellectually superior, then you truly are a dimwit.
Originally posted by Toma
fact.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
yupThis quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/tr...ng-into-canada
Accepted types of molecular tests
PCR - Polymerase chain reaction
Nucleic acid test (NAT) or Nucleic acid amplification test (NAATs)
Reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP)
These tests use methods such as a nasopharyngeal (NP) swab, nose swab, or saliva sample.
Other acceptable types of tests
RT-PCR – reverse transcription real time PCR
Quantitative PCR (qPCR)
Isothermal amplification
Droplet digital PCR or digital droplet PCR (ddPCR)
Transcription-mediated amplification (TMA)
RNA (Ribonucleic acid)
Ct (cycle threshold)
CRISPR
Sequencing
Next generational sequencing (NGS) or whole genome sequencing (WGS)
Oxford Nanopore sequencing (LamPORE)
Detection of the N gene
Detection of Orf1a/b
Detection of the S gene
Detection of the E gene
Detection of the RdRp gene